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I fly a lot. Not as much as some but enough to have given me a lot of experiences.

I’m not talking about being delayed or having a flight canceled. I mean losing an engine in mid-flight or landing and then aborting the landing and taking off again because there was another plane on the same runway. Not to mention some of the most amazing and interesting people I’ve been able to sit next too in all of my airtime.

Recently I was thinking about how when you fly from one city to another, you can’t see were your going. You can look out a window but not forward. That’s someone’s head or the back of the seat in front of you.

Delta has this tv channel on some flights where you can watch an airplane icon move slowly across a simple map that posts the names of some major cities as you fly near them. It’s a little interesting but I find myself with certain emotions that the little bit of info this channel provides.

When I look at it, I sometimes feel great because I can see we are almost to our destination. Sometimes I get bummed realizing we are not very far OR bummed because the flight has been great and is almost over. I’ve actually found myself just staring as it moves so slowly across the screen.

Does it really help to know how far we have to go or how far we’ve come?

I think maybe in some cases yes.

But sometimes we can spend too much time measuring progress that we miss the most amazing views.

When I’m staring at the little airplane on the screen, I’m not looking out the window to enjoy where I’m at. I’m missing reality for a progress chart.

I’ve heard it said that the greatest present of God is being in His presence. I might miss that if I’m too focused on the map and progress.

Is that what God said by “THIS is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad IN IT!”?

I personally need to be more in the present and take in the Presence. I already have a confirmed destination in Jesus. I’ll get there when the pilot says I should. Until, I need to enjoy the window view. It’s amazing!